Book Review: Alfa Romeo Giulia

The book: Alfa Romeo Giulia

Author: John Tipler

Pages, Photos: 224, 360

Publisher: Click here

Photography by Yoav Gilad for Petrolicious

Alfa Romeo Giulia by Mr. John Tipler is well-written and easy to follow (makes sense as he’s an automotive journalist with over thirty-five books to his credit). Furthermore, the photography runs the gamut between historic, period photographs and modern, beautifully shot photos at vintage events. Let’s get this out of the way however: the book is a love letter written from a fan to the Giulia and hard-core Alfisti will truly appreciate it from start to finish.

There are sections though that even the most casual motorsports or Alfa fan will enjoy. For instance, one of things that made the Giulia series wonderful was that to a large degree the street version was nearly identical to the cars competing for the European Touring Car Championship. As racer Andrea de Adamich says, “I didn’t just race on the track; I also had my street GTA to tool around in.” And while Alfas were certainly not cheap (they were priced similarly to Porsches and Jaguars), the fact that, as a fan, you could drive home from the races in a car that you just saw duking it out, must have been a thrilling treat.

One interesting aspect of the book is that, like many other model-specific tomes, the Giulia’s motorsport record, history, and drama are covered in remarkable detail; however, Mr. Tipler also extensively details a restoration case-study. Whether intended as a pre-caution or an ode to those who service the model is unclear. Another question is why Tipler devotes an entire chapter to a Brazilian GTA? The car does have a superb racing pedigree, having spent its first five years competing in the Brazilian Touring Car Championship, but why it merits a particularly close look, rather than another racing GTA is a curiosity.

But these are minor questions in what is otherwise a comprehensive look at a wonderful little car. Additionally, the appendices that Mr. Tipler includes provide a wealth of additional information including old road tests, advertisements, brochures, even listings of scale models available! Besides being an engaging read for any obsessed Alfisti, the photography, history, and Mr. Tipler’s passion make it compelling to any vintage motoring fan.

To purchase the book from Veloce Publishing, click here.